Residents of Istanbul took to the streets early on Monday to celebrate the results of Turkey’s local polls that handed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s ruling party resounding defeats in some of the country’s biggest cities.
The opposition scored decisive mayoral victories against Erdoğan’s Justice and Development party (AKP) in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa and Antalya — Turkey’s five biggest cities — according to initial results from Sunday’s vote published by the Anadolu state news agency.
Ekrem İmamoğlu’s strong performance for the opposition Republican People’s party (CHP) in Istanbul marked a particularly painful blow to Erdoğan, who had campaigned vigorously for the AKP’s mayoral candidate in the hopes of vanquishing his most credible rival.
“Istanbul has delivered its message,” İmamoğlu told a large crowd of supporters who gathered in the centre of the city on Monday morning. “The era of one person’s tutelage is over.”
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